Exploring Structures - Butterfly

TYPE: Short Activities
AUDIENCE: Ages 4 - Adult
TOPIC: Nanotechnology
In this activity, learners investigate how butterfly wings get their color and that some wings get their color from the nanoscale structures on the wings instead of pigments.
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DESCRIPTION

"Exploring Structures - Butterfly" is a hands-on activity in which visitors investigate how some butterfly wings get their color. They learn that some wings get their color from the nanoscale structures on the wings instead of pigments. "Explore Science - Zoom info Nano Morphing Butterfly" (2016) version designed for groups and community outreach.

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  • two children looking at Blue Morpho butterfly
  • A facilitator shines a light behind the wings of a preserved blue butterfly
  • A facilitator shines a light behind the wings of a preserved yellow butterfly
  • two children looking at Blue Morpho butterfly
  • A facilitator shines a light behind the wings of a preserved blue butterfly
  • A facilitator shines a light behind the wings of a preserved yellow butterfly

DESCRIPTION

"Exploring Structures - Butterfly" is a hands-on activity in which visitors investigate how some butterfly wings get their color. They learn that some wings get their color from the nanoscale structures on the wings instead of pigments. "Explore Science - Zoom info Nano Morphing Butterfly" (2016) version designed for groups and community outreach.

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TRAINING VIDEOS

OBJECTIVES

BIG IDEA

The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its properties on the nanoscale.

LEARNING GOALS

  • The way a material behaves on the macroscale is affected by its properties on the nanoscale.

  • Some nanotechnologies are inspired by nature.

NANO CONTENT MAP

Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do.

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TYPE:
Educational Resources
AUDIENCE:
Ages 4 - Adult
LANGUAGES:
English Spanish
ADDITIONAL TOPICS: Engineering and Technology Nanotechnology Life Sciences Animals Physical Sciences Light and Optics
KIT: Explore science zoom into nano logo in full color with leaf, atom, and Saturn logo Browse kit
KEYWORDS:

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2011
PROJECT
OWNING INSTITUTION

Science Museum of Minnesota

FUNDING

Developed for the NISE Network with funding from the National Science Foundation under Award Numbers 0532536 and 0940143. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Foundation.

PERMISSIONS

Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US).
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DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

NISE Network products are developed through an iterative collaborative process that includes scientific review, peer review, and visitor evaluation in accordance with an inclusive audiences approach. Products are designed to be easily edited and adapted for different audiences under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike license. To learn more, visit our Development Process page.